Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist By: Michael J. Fox

Title: Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
Author: Michael J. Fox
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 276
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Geared Towards: Adults
Extra Info: Michael J. Fox acted in countless roles, including Back to the Future and Spin City, he was also the OCD doctor guest role in Scrubs.

"I've always dremt big"

Summary (From Front Flap): There are many words to describe Michael J Fox: Actor. Husband. Father. Activist. But reads of Always Looking Up will soon add another to the list: Optimist. Michael writes about the hard won perspective that helped him see challenges as oppurtunites. Instead of building walls around himself, he developed a personal policy of engagement and discovery: an emotional, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual outlook that has served him throughout his struggle with Parkinson's disease. Michael's exit from a very demanding, very public arena offered him the time-and the inspiration-to open up new doors leading to unexpected places. One door even led him to the center of his own family, the greatest destination of all.

Wdebo's Review: There are good memoirs and bad memoirs, the good ones are the ones that keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next making you laugh out loud at random parts, and cry at others, while bad memoirs make you just...numb, they're so boring, and all you can think is Will this guy shut up already??!! Always Looking Up defidently falls into the good memoirs category.

While there were some numb-making moments, this memoir was great. Michael has a very John Gorgon style of writing, there were funny parts and then there were thought-provoking moments. He does sprinkle in lots of jokes all over the place, my favorite part is when he's talking about waiting outside a restaurant, and squirming around because of his PD and having a druggie come up to him thinking he needs a hit. I don't know why, but that just randomly made me burst out laughing. He uses some highly sophisticated words, which is surprising for someone who only got through junior year of high school. But it was a nice change of scenary to like be reading the word Like or Oh My God in everyother paragraph.

I had never actually thought much about Parkinsons (The disease Michael has), I mean I knew what it was called and that was all, but to hear/read about someone going through that was a pretty eye-opening experience.

I remember watching Spin City when I was younger, it was an "adult" show to me, so most of the humor I couldn't understand, and I still remember the title end where they had that manhole cover spinning, but I don't remember Michael's character at all...wait, never mind I do a bit. He talked about acting in his show and how he had to hide behind diffrent things/people so as to not show his PD, he did a hella of a job, because no one (at least I didn't) suspect anything, that is pretty amazing. And I remember watching that episode when he was that OCD doctor...BEST SCRUBS EPSIDOE EVER!! It's so funny and great!! :) I just watched it like a week ago...bahaha XD He is such a great actor...the toilet thing made me die laughing.

All in all, a pretty good memoir for those who would like to understand Parkinsons more, and the life of Michael J Fox more and just those who would like a good NF book.

Grade: A-

Wdebo :)

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Other Books By Michael J. Fox:

Lucky Man